To Belong To You
by loveitwhenyouspeakcon
Summary: Continuation from 1x11 - 'Starry Night' during the scene where Bay & Emmett are talking at night


"I wish we didn't need Daphne."

Bay takes a few steps forward and sits down on the grass, her back leaning against a rock and her arms wrapped tightly around the front of her legs while she contemplates the thought.

Emmett hesitates only for a second. Even under the moonlit sky, he can see a look of uncertainty or perhaps jealousy written all over Bay's face as he quickly closes the space between them and sits beside her.

"Someday, we won't," he signs to her in reassurance.

Bay links her arms through her boyfriends' and leans closer, cuddling into him.

As they each take a moment to glance at the array of stars and the moon glistening in the dark sky, Bay can't help but think what a perfect moment it would be if not for the teenage laughter echoing in the darkness of the nearby sea of pitched tents.

Of course, Emmett is oblivious to it all as he turns back to look at Bay.

"Peaceful, isn't it?"

"Not really", Bay begins to sign and say in response. "Wilke's making fart jokes and there's some drunk girls over there. They're being idiots..."

** "**How do you do it?"

Bay laughs just a little in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I can't imagine a world in which I couldn't check out sometimes. Seems like it's gotta suck."

"Yeah, it actually does," Bay says as she leans her head against Emmett's shoulder and lets her mind wander.

The conversation alone brings back all of her insecurities. She wishes she could shut herself out from the world sometimes, but she's not like Emmett and maybe the truth is that he's better off with someone like Daphne, someone who isn't hearing.

_Daphne_ understands him. _Daphne _gets him. _It's not for lack of trying to understand by any means_, Bay thinks to herself. Emmett knows how hard she's been studying to learn sign language, but sometimes Bay feels like it's just not enough. Emmett and Daphne's friendship had evolved since their childhood and no matter how competitive Bay's demeanor may be, she knows herself that she just can't compete with that.

After a concise talk with Daphne a while later, Bay makes her way to Emmett's tent, her anxieties from earlier on in the evening still weighing heavily on her mind.

The exhaustion of the whole day hits her suddenly as she carefully drags the tent zipper shut. Turning around slowly, brown eyes meet blue, and under the dim of the tent light, Bay notices that in her moment of absence Emmett had zipped their sleeping bags together and was now sitting cross-legged, smiling softly in her direction. He holds his arms out wide and motions for her to come closer, an invitation nonetheless.

Bay sighs softly and crawls into his lap, instantly burying her face in his neck as if hoping that he wouldn't know she was upset if he couldn't see her face. It works only for a few minutes as she revels in the closeness. In complete silence, Bay sits patiently, breathing in the sweet smell of Emmett's cologne as he gently rubs the palm of his hands up and down her back in a soothing motion. A short moment later, Emmett is leaning back and searching for her eyes, because despite what Bay might think, he knows her better than she thinks he does and he knows for sure that something is wrong.

When Emmett's certain that he has her attention, he keeps his eyes fixed on hers and pulls his hands back so that he can sign.

"Talk to me. What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry…about today", Bay signs, looking around nervously and not knowing where to start the conversation.

Emmett shrugged. "It's okay. It's behind us now."

Bay shakes her head in disagreement. "Except that it's not. _She'll _always know you better than I will and _she'll _always understand you better than I will".

Emmett pauses in confusion before realising whom it is that Bay is referring to.

"Wait, is this about Daphne?"

Admitting defeat with one simple nod, Bay breaks eye contact and looks down in her lap and she begins fiddling with her hands. Emmett places his index finger underneath her chin and gently urges her to look back up at him.

"What makes you think that?"

Bay shrugs her shoulders slightly and Emmett can tell by the way her eyebrows are raised that she's becoming frustrated.

"_She _wants _you. _You understand her just fine when she's communicating with you and sometimes that's without sign language, like the way she knows you just by simply looking at you".

Snaking one hand around Bay's waist, Emmett cradles his other hand against the side of her face and leans in close to crush his lips against hers, their mouths colliding swiftly and wanting, because, quite simply, he needs her to know that he belongs to her before he continues with this talk.

As their lips part, Emmett swears he sees Bay flash a brief smile and that's when he knows that they will be alright.

"The best thing about our relationship is that it's still new. We have time to learn new things about each other and to make our own memories. As for your signing, I can understand you just fine. You'll get there, don't worry."

Bay nods for what seems to be like the hundredth time that night but she still can't help but think…

"It just seems like there's some sort of never-ending competition and-"

But before Bay can continue, Emmett is waving his hands around and cutting her off so that he can sign in reply.

"Bay, listen when I say there is no competition. And if there is, you win every single time. My heart is yours and yours only."

It's all the encouragement Bay needs as Emmett pulls her firmly against his chest, easing her down against him. He presses his back against their conjoined sleeping bags, head propped up on the pillows.

They lay there for what seems like a long time, just wrapped up in each other.

Eventually, Bay's frame jolts with a shiver when a gust of wind blows outside their tent. She peels herself off her boyfriends' chest and as Emmett sits up with her, she scans his eyes and nods.

"Thank you", she says. Even without signing, Emmett reads the word on her lips and smiles affectionately in understanding.

They turn off the light and climb into the cocoon that is their joint sleeping bag, making sure to zip it all the way up. Bay finds her place once again cuddled up to Emmett, her head resting on his chest, his arms wrapped around her waist. They exchange kisses awhile longer in complete darkness, hands searching, limbs twisted together, and bodies pressed against each other until ultimately they both fall under the spell of sleep, knowing the undeniable reality that they belong to each other.


End file.
